The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China

Given the pivotal role of climate risk in fostering sustainable corporate growth, this factor warrants further investigation in the context of low-carbon innovation. Drawing on firm-level data from Chinese enterprises during the 2007–2022 period, our research establishes climate risk as a significan...

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Main Author: Siyuan He
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Climate
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2025.1646491/full
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author Siyuan He
author_facet Siyuan He
author_sort Siyuan He
collection DOAJ
description Given the pivotal role of climate risk in fostering sustainable corporate growth, this factor warrants further investigation in the context of low-carbon innovation. Drawing on firm-level data from Chinese enterprises during the 2007–2022 period, our research establishes climate risk as a significant driver of corporate low-carbon innovation, with transition risk proving more influential than physical risk. The analysis of underlying mechanisms reveals that climate risk stimulates low-carbon technological innovation primarily through two channels: increased research and development expenditures and enhanced environmental certification efforts. Examination of heterogeneous effects demonstrates that climate risk’s innovation-enhancing potential is particularly pronounced among three distinct groups: enterprises not designated as key pollution monitoring units, firms operating in less polluting industries, and businesses located in China’s eastern regions. These insights provide valuable implications for policymakers and businesses on leveraging climate risk to drive low-carbon innovation while achieving balanced sustainable development in terms of Research and Development investment and pollution control dimensions.
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series Frontiers in Climate
spelling doaj-art-79fb2d773f444856bbf41d6674b447852025-08-20T03:56:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Climate2624-95532025-07-01710.3389/fclim.2025.16464911646491The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in ChinaSiyuan HeGiven the pivotal role of climate risk in fostering sustainable corporate growth, this factor warrants further investigation in the context of low-carbon innovation. Drawing on firm-level data from Chinese enterprises during the 2007–2022 period, our research establishes climate risk as a significant driver of corporate low-carbon innovation, with transition risk proving more influential than physical risk. The analysis of underlying mechanisms reveals that climate risk stimulates low-carbon technological innovation primarily through two channels: increased research and development expenditures and enhanced environmental certification efforts. Examination of heterogeneous effects demonstrates that climate risk’s innovation-enhancing potential is particularly pronounced among three distinct groups: enterprises not designated as key pollution monitoring units, firms operating in less polluting industries, and businesses located in China’s eastern regions. These insights provide valuable implications for policymakers and businesses on leveraging climate risk to drive low-carbon innovation while achieving balanced sustainable development in terms of Research and Development investment and pollution control dimensions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2025.1646491/fullclimate risklow-carbon innovationR&D investmentgeographic locationenvironmental certification
spellingShingle Siyuan He
The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China
Frontiers in Climate
climate risk
low-carbon innovation
R&D investment
geographic location
environmental certification
title The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China
title_full The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China
title_fullStr The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China
title_full_unstemmed The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China
title_short The impact of climate risk on low-carbon innovation: evidence from listed companies in China
title_sort impact of climate risk on low carbon innovation evidence from listed companies in china
topic climate risk
low-carbon innovation
R&D investment
geographic location
environmental certification
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2025.1646491/full
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